Taximeter



W. G. ORTH ET AL TAXIME'IER Filed Sept. 9, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 27, 1925.

W. G. ORTH ET AL TAXIMETER Filed Sept. 9. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H 0 6 M M L M GEO/P65 H. 0/9/7157."

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W. G. ORTH ET AL.

TAXIMETER Filed Sept. 9. 1922 I5 Sheets-Sheet Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,524,274 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. ORTH AND GEORGE H. DARST. OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO OHMER FARE REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, QHIQ, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TAXIMETEB. I

Application filed September 9, 1922. Serial No. 587,218.

To all whom it may conoem:

Be it known that we. \VILLIAM Gr. ORTH and Gnoncn H. DARST, both citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the 6 county of Montgomery and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Taximeters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to taximeters and is in the nature of an improvement on the taximeter shown and described in the patent to Ohmer & Bridenbaugh, No. 1,136,164, of April 20, 1915.

The machine of the above mentioned patent registers a certain minimum fare when the Vehicle is hired and the flag moved to its engaged position to place the meter in operation. After the registration of this minimum fare the fare registering devices do not begin to operate until the vehicle has traveled a distance equal to the minimum fare, or has stood idle for a specified time, but will thereafter register a fixed unit of registration for each specified fraction of a mile traveled by the vehicle or for each specified period of waiting time. For example, we will assume that the minimum fare registered by the lowering of the flag 30 is 20 cents and that the subsequent charge is 10 cents for each quarter of a mile, or for each four minutes of waiting time. The actuating device for the fare counter is driven both by the vehicle and by the clock device and the fare counter is so controlled that the actuating device will begin to operate the counter after it has been moved a distance equal to a quarter of a mile. How ever, the actuating device will be moved this samedistance by the clock in four minutes, if the vehicle is standing idle, and will then begin to operate the fare counter. As a result, if, after hiring the vehicle, the passenger allows it to stand idle for some time before beginning the trip he is charged with twenty cents for what is in fact only ten cents worth of time. The purpose of the present invention is to correct this variance by increasing the waiting time allowed for the minimum fare.

, In our copending application Serial No. 562,122, filed May 19, 19 22, we have shown one mechanism for. accomplishing this result. That mechanism, however, is open and the connection between this actuating to one objection. It causes the operating device for the fare counter to remain sta tionary during the first portion of the initial waiting time, that is, during the first four minutes of the eight minutes allowed as waiting time for the minimum fare, as set forth in said application. As a result. if the journey is begun before the allowed waiting time is all consumed the fare charged for the waiting time will not correspond accurately to the full waiting time. For example. if, after being hired, the machine stood idle for three and a half minutes, at the end of which time the journey was begun. the actuating device would be in its initial position, as no movement would have been imparted thereto by the clock. Consequently, the actuating device would have to be moved by the vehicle through a full quarter revolution before the mechanism became operative and no charge would be registered for the initial waiting time.

One object of the present invention is to provide means for increasing the initial waiting time and for causing all the waiting time actually consumed to be accurately registered.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatically controlled means for causing the actuating device to be moved by the clock at a slower speed during the initial waiting time than it is moved by the clock during subsequent periods of waiting time.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism which will be simple in its construction, positive in its operation and which will notin any way interfere with the operation of, or the resetting of, the taximeter mechanism. I

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a taximeter showing our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a taximeter mechanism; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of that portion of the taximeter. mechanism embodying. my invention; Fig. 5 is. a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the controlling device of the variable speed mechanism; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken axially of the variable speed gearing; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the clutch shifting device.

In these drawings we have illustrated fare counter.

one embodiment of our invention and have shown the same as applied to av taximeter which in the main features of its construction corresponds to the taxiineter of the above mentioned patent, but it will be understood that the mechanism may take various forms and that it may be applied to registering mechanisms of various kinds without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In these drawings we have shown and will now describe only that part of the takimeter mechanism which is necessary for an understanding of the present invention. V

' Ashei'e shown, the taximeter comprises a group of fare counters which, in the present instance, are. visual counters but may, if desired, be printing counters. The machine of the above mentioned patent embodies both types of counters, but only the visual counters are here shown. In this counter we have provided a tens of cents counter wheel only, as shown at 10, because the fare is registered in units of ten cents and the final numeral is always a cipher. This cipher is placed upon a fixed part of the casing adjacentto the sight opening so that it will appear in its proper relation to that numeral on the tens of cents counter wheel which is in line with the sight opening. The count is transferred from the cents counter wheel to the units of dollars counter wheel, 11, and from the units dollar counter wheel "to the tens dollar counter wheel by transfer mechanism of any suitable character. mounted on a shaft 13 which may be characterized as the resetting shaft as means are provided wherebytheiotation of this shaft will reset the counter wheels to -ZQ1O. Thecents counter wheel is 'actuated by a atchetwheel 14 mounted on the shaft 13 and suitably connected with the counter f wheel. Cooperating with the ratchet wheel 14: is a pawl 15 carried by an arm 16 mounted on a shaft 17 journaled in the frame of the machine and extending len thwise t'here of. Mounted on the shaft 1'8 at the leftjhand end of the machine, as shown iii-Fig. 1, is an arm 18 which is acted upon by'a'springltl which tends to move the same downwardly. A suitable actuating device, such as a' cam '20 mounted on a cam shaft 21, acts on thearm 18 when the latter is in "its operative position to raise the same against the tension of the spring 19 and then release it topermit it to be moved downwardly by the spring, thus rocking the shaft 17 and aetuating't-he pawl 15 to advance'the ratchetwheel 14: and cents counter wheel 10 one step and thus add ten on the g The actuating devic'e, or cam, 20, is driven both "from the vehicle and from a. clock These counter wheels are loosely charged according to distance, and. in the 7 second instance the fare is charged according to time, which is herein characterized as waiting time. The opei'atingconnection betweenthe actuating device and the vehicle may take any suitable form. .As here shown, a worinshaft 22 is oui'naled on the end frame member 23 ofthe machine, and is adapted to be connected in'any suitable manner with a movable part of the vehicle, such as one of the wheels This shaft is provided with a worm 24 which meshes with a worm wheel 25 having connected therewith a gear 26, which is adapted to; mesh with a gear 27 mounted on a rock arm 28 and having connected therewith a pinion" 29 which in turn meshes with the gear 30 on the shaft 21 which carries the actuating device. 7 In the present construction the worm shaft 22 is alsopr-o'vided with a second worm 31 which me'sheswith Zi WOIHl wheel -32- liaving connected therewhen the gear 26 is driven fromthe worm 24c the gear 33 will remain idle and when the gear is driven from the w0rm- 31 the gear 26 will act as/an intermediate gear to connect the gear '33 with the gear thus the shaft21 will be driven m-the same direction regardless of the direction in which the vehicle is moving. The gear '27 is niovableinto and out of mesh with gear 26 to establish or "interrupt the connection betweeir the vehicle and the cam shaft 21. To this end an arm 34 18 connected with the arm 28 which carries the gear '27 and is 7 arranged to be actuated by a cam 35 on the flag shaft 36. This shaft carries the usual si nal, or fla 3? which when in its normal position, which in the present'in'stance is its uppermost position, indicates that the vehicle is for hire. Then the flag is in another position, in the present instance its.

horizontal position, it indicates that the vehicle is engaged and this position of the flag isherein referred to as the engaged position. The cam 35 is so arranged with relation to the flag that when the flag is in its normal, oruppermost, position, the cam will be in engagement with the arm :?A and will hold the gear 27 outof mesh with the gear 26 but when the flag is moved to its engaged posit-ion the cam willprelease the arm and permit the'gear'27 tobe'moved'by a spring 38 into mesh with the gear 26, thus establishing an operative connection between the actuating device and the movable part of the vehicle.

The clock for operating the fare counter to register waiting time is indicated by the reference numeral 39, a portion only of the clock being shown. Loosely mounted on the shaft 40, constituting the driving shaft of the clock, is a gear 41 which is adapted to be rigidly connected with the shaft by means of a clutch 42 slidably mounted thereon. The gear 41 meshes with a gear 43 mounted on a shaft 44 and rigidly cennected with a gear 45, also mounted on the shaft 44 and meshing with a gear 46 on a shaft 47 mounted on the forward portion of the frame of the machine and having at its inner end a beveled pinion 48 which meshes with a beveled gear 49 loosely mounted on the shaft 18 and having rigidly connected therewith one member 50 of a pawl and ratchet clutch, the other member 51 of which is rigidly secured to the cam shaft 21, thereby connecting the cam shaft with. the clock and causing the actuating device, or cam, 20 to be driven by the clock. Because of the one way clutch connection between the gear 49 and the shaft 21, the shaft 21 will be rotated by the clock mechanism but may be moved relatively thereto to return the cam to its initial position without interfering with the clock mechanism.

As has been stated, the fare counter is set to indicate the initial fare when the flag .is moved from the for hire to the hired position, and it is not further operated until the vehicle has traveled a specified distance or a specified amount of waiting time has elapsed. To prevent the operation of the fare counter by the actuating device during this initial period of time, the arm 18 on the shaft 17 is held in its elevated posi tion and when the actuating device has been moved the required distance bv the vehicle or by the clock mechanism, the arm 18 is released and permitted to move into operative relation to the cam, so that the further movement of the cam, or actuating device, will cause the fare counter to be actuated. YVhen the flag is returned to its for hire position and the actuating cam and counters restored to their initial positions the arm 18 will be elevated by mechanism shown in the above mentioned patent but forming no part of the present invention. A detent 52 is acted upon by a spring which tends to move the same into the path of a stud 54 carried by the arm 18 when the latter has been elevated and this detentwill remain in engagement with the stud until it is positively moved out of engagement therewith. A trip arm 55 is connected with the detent 52 and arranged in the path of a stud, or pin, 56 carried by the cam 20. The actuating cam having been reset to its initial position at the end of the preceding trip the projection 56 will always occupy the same position with relation to the trip arm 55 when the flag is moved into its hired position. Consequently, a given amount of movement im parted to the cam either by the vehicle or by the clock will cause the detent to be moved out of engagement with the stud 54, thereby permitting the arm 18 to be moved into operative relation to the cam.

As has been explained, the actuating device, or cam, causes ten cents to be added to the fare counter for each quarter revolution imparted thereto, either by the ve hicle or by the ClOClC, this quarter rotation being imparted to the actuating device for each quarter mile traveled by the vehicle and for each four minutes of waiting time, in the present arrangement of the mechanism. The waiting time allowed for the minimum fare charge, that is the initial waiting time is eight minutes. The mechanism must be such that, when the flag is lowered either a quarter of a mile traveled or eight minutes of waiting time will place the counting mechanism in operation. Consequently, there can be no change in the actuating device because this change would interfere with the distance registration and with subsequent waiting time charges. We have, therefore, provided means whereby the actuating device may be rotated by the clock at one speed during the initial waiting time and at another speed subsequent to the initial waiting time, the speed of the rotation of the ac tua-ting device during the initial waiting time being such as to delay the release of the pawl operating arm 18 for the desired length of time, in the present instance for eight minutes. To accomplish this. we have interposed between the clock and the actuating device suitable variable speed mechanism and have provided means for automatically controlling this variable speed mechanism. The variable speed mechanism may take various forms, but in the present instance we have mounted on the shaft 40, adjacent to the gear 41, a gear 57 of smaller diameter than the gear 41 and also loosely mounted on the shaft and adapted to be connected thereto by the clutch 42. Each of the gears 41 and 57 is provided on one face with an annular series of clutch teeth 58 adapted to cooperate with the teeth on the two faces of the clutch member This clutch member is slidably mounted upon a sleeve 59 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 40 and which is of such a character to prevent the clutch member from rotating thereon. In the present instance the sleeve has its sides flat. The sleeve also serves as a spacer to maintain. the two gears at a fixed distance one from the other. The gear 57 meshes with a gear 60 mounted on an axis coincident with the gears 43 and 45 and rigidly connected 'withrsaid gears. Consequently, when the clutch is in engagement with the gear 57', as shown in Fig. 7, the gears 60, 43 and 45 willall be rotated. The gear 41 being disconnected from the shaft 40 will rotate freely thereon, while the clock movement will be transmitted through gear to the actuating device at afreduced speed, because of the ratio of the gears 57. and 60. This connection is utilized for the initial waiting time a'nd'is such in the pres ent instance that it will require eight ininutesof time to move the actuating cam through a quarter revolution. When the clutch member is shifted out of engagement with the gear 57 and into engagement with the gear 41, the movement is transmitted from the clock through the gears 43 and 45 to the ac'tuatingcam at a higher rate of speed, which, in the presentinstance, requires four minutes to rotate the actuating cam through a quarter revolution, this being the connection utilized for driving the actuating deviceafter the end of the initial waiting period of eight minutes or the first quarter mile of travel, which is referred to herein as the no anal waiting time. 7

V The shifting of the clutch member 42 is accomplished automatically and, as here shown, the clutch actuatingdevice is in the form of a bifurcated lever, or yoke, 61 which straddles the clutch member and is pivotally mounted at its lower end, asshown at 62. The arms of this yoke are provided'with inwardly extending lugs 63 which enter a circumferential groove 64 in the clutch member 42 so that the peripheral movement of the yoke will impart axial movement to the clutch member. The upper end of the yoke is connected by means of a link 65 with an operating arm or lever 66 which, in the present instance, is pivotally mounted on the shaft 17 The-connection between the link and the yoke is a loose one so that the link may have a certain amount of movement relative to the yoke before the latter is actuated, and as here shown, the yoke has a laterally extending lip 67 in which is formed a longitudinal slot 68 through which extends a pin 69 carried by the link 65. The movement of the actuating lever. 66 and, consequently, of the clutch member is controlled by the, movement of the actuating cam 20. As here shown, a cam 70 carried by the cam shaft 21 is arranged to engage the lower end portion of the lever 66 and rock the same about its axis. The lever 66 has connected therewith an arm 71 provided in its outer end with V-shaped notches 72 and 73 with which cooperates a detent 74 having. a V-shaped' nose adapted to enter the notches 72 and 73. The detent 74 is acted upon by a spring 75 which tends to hold the same firmly in engagement 'With cam 70 the projection 76 lying between the recesses 72and '73 will ride over the inclined portion of the nose of the detent 74 and force the same outward against the tension ofits spring '75. When the end of the projection 6 clears the apex of the pawl the spring 75 will move the nose of the pawl inwardly causing the same to act upon the As the cam shaft lower inclined surface of the recess 73 and thereby impart quickfinal movement to the lever 66, which will cause the pin 69 to engage the end of the slot 68 and thus trans mit movement to theyoke 66 and quickly shift the clutch member from the gear 57 to the gear 41. Preferably the slot 68 is of such a length that'the pin 69 will not engage the same until the final movement is imparted to the lever 66 by the detent 74. In this manner,the pin is caused to strike the yoke a sharp blow which will quickly disengage it from the one gear and move it into engagement with the other. This 'movement of the actuating lever 66 is so timed that it will take place atthe' end of the first quarter revolution of theactuating cam, whether movement is being imparted to the cam by clock or by the vehicle. Consequently, the subsequent waiting time will be charged for at the normal rate of ten cents for each four minutes. will retain the actuating lever in its retracted position until the trip has been completed and the flag restoredto its normal or for hire position, at which time a cam 77 on the flag shaft 36 will engage a pin 78 on the arm 71, thereby forcing the arm upwardly and causing the detent 74 to again engage the lower recess 72, in which position it remains until the a'ctuatii'ig lever 66 is shifted by the cam 70. 1

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 7

v1. In a fare registering device vehicles, the combination with a fare counter, an actuating. device for said fare counter, means actuated by a moving part of the vehicle to operate said "actuating device, clockdriven mechanism for operating said actuating device, and means for disfor The detent 7 4 V connecting said actuating device from said counter during an initial period of service, of means to retard the operation of said actuating device by said clock driven mechanism during said initial period of service.

2. In a fare registering device for vehicles, the combination with a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, means actuated by a moving part of the vehicle to operate said actuating device, clock driven mechanism for operating said actuating device, and means for dis connecting said actuating device from said counter during an initial period of service, of automatically controlled means to retard the operation of said actuating device by said clock driven mechanism during said initial period of service.

8. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, mecha nism to connect said clock with said actuating device comprising two trains of gearings, the gearing of the two trains being of different ratio, and means for connecting either train of gearing with said clock.

l. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, mechanism to connect said clock with said actuating device comprising two trains of gearing, the gearing of the two trains being of different ratio, and means comprising a part operatively connected with said actuating device for automatically disconnecting one train of gearing from said clock and connecting the other train of gearing therewith.

5. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, a shaft operatively connected with said clock, two gears rotatably mounted on said shaft, a clutch member adapted to connect either of said gears with said shaft, a shifting device for said clutch member, and automatic means for actuating said shifting device.

6. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, a shaft operatively connected with said clock, two gears rotatably nounted on said shaft, a clutch member adapted to connect either of said gears with said shaft, a shifting device for said clutch member, an actuating lever con nected with said shifting device, and means connected with said actuating device for imparting movement to said lever.

7. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, a shaft operatively connected with said clock, two gears rotatably mounted on said shaft, a clutch member adapted to connect either of said gears with said shaft, a lifting device for said clutch member, an actuating lever connected with said shifting device and capable of a lIIIlILQCl movement relatively there to, means for imparting initial movement to said lever without actua ing said shifting device, and other means for imparting a quick final movement to said lever to actuate said shifting device.

8. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, a shaft operatively connected with a d clock, two gears iotatably mounted on said shaft, a clutch member adapted to connect either of said gears with said shaft, a shifting device for said clutch member, an actuating lever operatively connected with said shifting device and capable of limited movement rela tively thereto, a arm rigidly connected with said actuating lever and having recesses in the outer edge thereof, a spring actuated detent having a nose adapted to enter either of said recesses, a device acting on said leve' to move the same relatively to said shifting device, and to force said detent out of the one recess and into line with the other, whereby the movement of said detent into said other recess under the influence of its spring will impart final movement to said actuating lever and will quickly operate said shifting device.

9. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a shaft for said actuating device, a clock, a shaft operatively connected with said clock, two gears rotatably mounted on said shaft, a clutch member for connecting either of said gears with said shaft, a shifting device for said clutch member, an actuating lever operatively connected with said shifting device and having a limited movement relatively thereto, an arm rigidly connected with said actuating lever and having in its outer end two V-shaped recesses arranged one above the other, the upper recess being of greater depth than the lower, a spring actuated detent adapted to enter either of said recesses, a cam mounted on said shaft to impart movement to said actuating lever relatively to said shifting device, and to force said detent out of the lower recess and into line with the upper recess, whereby the movement of said detent into said upper recess under the influence of its spring will impart a quick final movement to said actuating lever.

10. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a clock, a shaft opratively connected with said clock, two gears rotatably mounted on said shaft, a clutch member adapted to connect either of said gears with said shaft, a shifting device for said clutch member, an actuating lever op' cr atively connected With said shifting device and capalole of a limited movement relatively thereto, an arm rigidly connected with said actuating lever and having recesses in the outer end thereof, aspring actuated cletent having a nose adapted to enter either of said recesses, a device acting on said lever to move the same relatively to said shitting device, and to force said detent out of the one recess and into line with the other, whereby the movement of said detent into said other recess under the influence of its spring will impart final movement to said actuating lever and will quickly operate said shifting device, means for restoring said actuating deviceto its initial position, and means c011 trolled by said restoring means to move said actuating lever in the opposite direction.

11. In a fare registering device for vehicles, a fare counter, an actuating device for said fare counter, a shaft for said actuating device, a clock, a shaft operatively connected With said clock, two gears rotatably mounted on said shaft, a clutch member for connecting either of said gears with said shaft,a shifting device for said clutch member, an actuating lever operatively connected with said shifting device and having a limited movement relatively thereto, an arm rigidly connected With said ,,actuating lever and'havin-g in its outer end two V-shaped recesses arranged one above the other, the upper recess being of greater depth than the lower, a spring actuated detent adapted to enter either of said recesses, a cam mounted on said shaft tov impart movement to said actuating lever relatively to said shifting device, and to force said detent out of the lower recess and into line with the upper recess whereby the movement of said detent into said upper recess under the influence of its spring will impart a quick final movement to said actuating lever,a pin carried by said arm, a second shaft, a signal carried by said second shaft and movable from one position to another, a cam secured to said second shat-t and adapted to engage said pin to move said actuating lever in the opposite direction when said flag is moved in one direction.

In testimony whereof, we a'tiix our signatures hereto. I 7

WILLIAM G. ORTH. GEORGE 11.. DARST. 

